Feeling like you're not getting enough replies on the forum

It can be very difficult on here sometimes, to get replies, or be happy with the replies you have.

I think the vast majority of members, at one time or another, have started a thread and felt that they haven't received the amount of replies that they had hoped for, for whatever reason.

To start with it's important to remember is that with regards to replying, it's quality over quantity and so if anyone/people have taken the time to reply, that should be focused on as a positive.

Some specific things that make it difficult for people to reply are

~Videos- they can load for some but not others, and so someone might really want to view it but not be able to.
~Viewing on a phone- lots of people view on their mobiles and it can be very difficult or challenging to reply using a mobile (if it's anything like mine) so people might read things, intending to come back later when on a computer.
~Questions- people might not know the answer so don't reply because even a 'non' reply removes it from the 'unanswered threads' list so therefore it will get even more missed.
~Topic- the topic might also be something that people don't know much about and so don't know how best to respond.
~Time of day/night/week/year- the time of day or night, the time of the week and the time of the year all have an impact on who is about, how much time people have on here, what else they are doing at the same time, things like that.
~If it's not clear what the OP wants from the thread- sometimes if it's not clear it can be difficult to reply because you don't want to say the wrong thing.
~Sometimes people need time to 'mull'- Some threads can be difficult to answer and sometimes people need time to read a thread, digest it, think about it, and then reply.
~People's own personal issues- every single person has their own problems in their life and they can affect many things, including whether someone is able to reply to a thread at any given time.

Ways to get more replies are

~Post in the right forum for the topic you are posting about- If you realise it's wrong then it's easy to report it so it can be moved.
~If it's relevant, state what you're looking for from the post- I.e., information, vibes, advice, support, suggestions, etc.
~Make the title clearly relevant to the thread- So that people open it and read it if they feel they can offer something.
~There is nothing wrong with a 'bump'- To bring a thread back to the top if you feel your need from the thread has not been met.
~Make a generic reply as a less obvious way to 'bump' your thread- This also brings it back to the top.
~Be aware and think carefully for how your post could be interpreted- This allows for less issues with miscommunication.
~Make an effort not to 'guilt trip' people into replying- If you try to 'guilt trip' people into replying then essentially the majority of replies you get after that are 'fake'. You've also likely managed to make people feel unjustifably 'guilty'. It also means that if it is removed from the 'unanswered threads' area it will get missed by people who check that. It also might make people more likely not to reply to your threads because they don't like to be manipulated.

Try not to take things personally.

When we don't get replies it can be so easy just to turn it internal and think it's something to do with us, no one likes us, no one wants us around, people dislike our animals, etc.

That is not the case. There will always be people here who want you- those members who were not wanted have been not wanted for an obvious reason (and have normally ended up banned due to their behaviour).

It is important to step back and see that there are many more likely factors outside you that cause people to not reply.

It's also important to focus positively on the replies you have, not be negative that you haven't received more, but be pleased that some people took the effort to reply.

Also, every time someone opens your thread it is because they care about what you have written; even if they don't or can't reply at that time. That in itself is important to remember.